Gleneden Beach Wayside | Oregon Coast

Gleneden Beach is a flat sandy shoreline stretching from Salishan Spit one mile south to the Schoolhouse Creek which separates Gleneden and Lincoln Beaches.

The best access to the beach is provided by Gleneden Beach Wayside which is just 7 miles away from Lincoln City. Surprisingly, despite the close location to the big coastal town, the beach looks secluded and uninhabited even during the summer and on weekends.

Surrounded by the beautiful coastal spruce forest, Gleneden Beach State Recreation Site sits on a sandstone bluff above the sandy shore and has a large parking area and picnic tables. If you are not a resident of a gated housing community and do not stay at the Salishan Coastal Lodge, use this site that provides public access to Gleneden Beach and Salishan Spit. A short trail runs down from the parking area to the broad flat beach bordered by eroded orange sandstone bluffs.

This beach is a fantastic place to enjoy your favorite type of activities including hiking, beachcombing, surf fishing, surfing, and wildlife watching.

Agate Hunting

Most of the beach consists of sand but along the Schoolhouse Creek, there are gravels that produce beautiful materials including agates, jaspers, and fossils. This place might be pretty productive during winter and low tides.

Gleneden Beach Hiking

Hike to the right (north) along the beach. After one mile, where sunstone bluffs end, Salishan Spit begins. You can hike two miles more to the edge of the spit but make sure not to disturb harbor seals that often reside here.

You can shorten your hike to Salishans if you start your way at the end of Laurel Street which is half a mile north on Gleneden Beach Loop or from the Salishan Shops. The private Salishan community prohibits vehicle access of nonresidents but allows pedestrians to access the beachfront through their walking trails.

Hike to the left (south) along the beach from the parking area. This is Lincoln Beach extending two miles to Fishing Rock. This route is a part of the Oregon Coastal Trail which runs up atop Fishing Rock and then leads to Fogarty Creek Recreation Area.

Attention Fellow Beachgoers

Unfortunately, our beautiful Pacific North West beaches are stained with trash, especially plastic. We, at Oregon Discovery, as well as other unaffiliated groups of nature lovers made a commitment to do our part in keeping our beaches clean, but we need your help too!

Every time you go out to enjoy nature at your favorite spot, please bring a garbage bag or two and help us pick up garbage. Even picking up a little bit here and there will make a huge difference long term.

Please, help us save our beautiful nature for the generations to come!